Ascents of Icarus

Absolute mega classic! You don't know how long I spent reading every single comment on the crag about what to do, beta, gear, ect... thinking I was gonna be so prepared. We brought quad yellow and blue cams, double grey #4's and everything. Then I got to the bottom and saw the actual line and thought... what. The. F$%#. I was made a gronk. The crux kicked my ass. Pushing up on knee bars and body jams and all sorts of awkward jamming and thrutching, to slowly inch my way higher and higher. Before finally reaching the main line. After that it was golden, pure splitter hand crack, bomber jams for 50-60m. Still didn't have enough gear so I had to lower and retrieve more (I'm a little scaredy trad climber and need gear close together). Next time I'm not kidding I'm gonna bring AT LEAST 6 bazillion yellow cams, maybe even 7 bazillion, plus knee pads. I will come back with VENGENCE and defeat the monster chimney that lurks at the bottom of this beautiful creation. I WILL BE BACK. We got off there about 6pm, so it took us 7 and a half hours in total to get up there. Good climb but. I tell you, I had the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before. And I swear this is true, that I owe it all to you Mt Wellington. I made a little film about it you might enjoy: https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=3cn8DylQJhjXg-6R

Retro tick from a while back. I suffered through the crux roof in the sun- felt very cramped and awkward. Long legs did not help here- probably scummed with my knees. Eesch. Not in a hurry to repeat that again

So good! Straight into it with the intimidating start, but plenty of gear if you brought enough. Did as two pitches and led both. Had a couple of hangs on the first pitch.

Felt much nicer the second time around.

Did the last 2 pitches in 3. Stopping at the notch seemed sensible. I led the last bit only which was not bad, but the crack below was good, though the chimney exit felt hard

Great chimney pitch off the ledge. Got lost and confused and split the top pitch into two so that Madi could soothe my battered, unable to jam blues ego

Don’t know where 4 pitches come from but we climbed from the base of Close to the Sun.. forgotten classic pitch, highly recommend the ground up way. Lead first guidebook pitch and seconded the second. Couldn’t find our way down in the dark and did some raps from random anchors. I now know we rapped from ultrasound and swung over to dark nebula for the second rap. Good fun

delightful.

TRS, two laps. Pitches 2, 3 and 4 only. Felt like I was going to throw up in that offwidth at the start 🤮 All kinds of jamming: hands, fists, stacked hands; it was awesome

Rap in as per guidebook, Pitch 2 onsite.

Got completely slapped by chimney exit through mini roof + off width.

Another lap on the classic. Led all pitches this time. felt goooood.

So much crack!!

ufff, what a crazy start! amazing line. feels very adventurous going between the pillars in the second pitch. started snowing when we topped out 😅

Rapped in from Daedelus. Led pitches 1 and 3. Such a good line and pretty damn sustained! Grunt fest through the chimney with deep and dirty jamming. Well protected with indestructible gear the entire way. Recommend bringing quad 2s and 3s and doubles of everything else (including 4s). Amazing route in an amazing position.

rapped in and did the the top pitches. sick lead by fras on P1, I was emotionally broken trying to pull through the chimney roof, not able to reach both hands into the crack. I lead the rest to the top in one pitch, which I found continually interesting, and found good rests amidst the streno jam sequences. Rain started as fras pulled on the finishing jug- perfect timing, good atmosphere to end an epic climb

Lead p1, follow p2. Good fun, took all the 2 and 3 BDs we had. Pretty steep for the pipes

Wowee. The crux had better protection than I'd imagined, but it certainly wasn't any easier than I'd imagined. Classically bizarre awkwardness. No need for any gear bigger than a #3 or 4 (take tonnes of #2's though).

Absolute must-do classic. If you don't think you like crack - just do this route and enjoy. It'll convert anybody. Brilliant. Loved the fight I had to 2nd the first pitch clean and leading pitch two converted me to crack climbing - BETA ALERT - bring a BD 4 slings and and make sure you use them to good effect

Lead the second pitch, easier than the first which was nicely lead by Max

Nails and old school first pitch, works you hard. glad maxy had the lead on this one. up chimney, then balancey, insecure move to get out of the chimney. This is then followed trutching and grunting your way through the crux, then fight on to the ledge. 2nd pitch climbs like a dream - pleasurable and a nice break after the horrors of the 1st pitch.

Absolutely amazing jams!

really good! old school classic with a few squidgy bits. 1st pitch wasn't great

Not as good as the hype mor maybe we were not as good. Did not enjoy the experience.